Blues Acquire Justin Holl, Buchelnikov and Draft Picks in Faulk Deal

The St. Louis Blues have acquired defenseman Justin Holl, forward Dmitri Buchelnikov, Detroit’s 2026 first-round selection and the San Jose Sharks’ 2026 third-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings in the trade that sent Justin Faulk to Detroit, a transaction announced March 6, 2026. The package moves a veteran blue-liner and a prospect plus draft capital to St. Louis while Detroit adds Faulk’s experience to its blueline core.

Holl arrives off a strong AHL season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he logged 41 games with two goals and 12 assists for 14 points, a plus-19 rating and 10 penalty minutes. TheAHL noted that this was Holl’s first AHL stint since he was a Calder Cup champion with the Toronto Marlies in 2017-18; the Griffins’ news release also lists Holl as a 34-year-old veteran who has split time between the NHL and AHL in recent seasons.

The move shifts a player with substantial NHL mileage into the Blues organization. OurSportsCentral’s roster summary records Holl’s NHL totals at 396 regular-season games with 13 goals and 82 assists for 95 points, 188 penalty minutes and a plus-59 rating since 2017-18, plus 25 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances with three assists and 23 penalty minutes. RotoWire added that Holl appeared in 73 games for the Red Wings last season, notching eight points, and reports, citing the NHL media site, that Holl will begin his stint in St. Louis on the Blues’ NHL roster.

For Grand Rapids and the AHL picture, Holl’s departure removes one of the Griffins’ most experienced defenders. Griffinshockey’s milestone board placed Holl three games shy of 700 professional appearances and highlighted the Griffins’ collection of NHL-seasoned blueliners: Erik Gustafsson (517 NHL games), Holl (396), Ian Mitchell (110) and William Lagesson (107), totaling 1,130 NHL games among them. The Griffins’ recent box scores also supplied context for team depth, including rookie goaltender Michal Postava’s 1.88 GAA, .934 save percentage and two shutouts this season.

Detroit’s trade cost includes two draft assets—a first-round pick in 2026 belonging to Detroit and a third-round 2026 selection tied to San Jose—alongside Holl and Buchelnikov. Official team and league summaries list the forward as Dmitri Buchelnikov; community forums such as Reddit reproduced the table of pieces but displayed alternate spellings like “Dmitiri” and “Demitri,” underscoring the speed at which fan channels disseminated the deal.

Beyond the box score, the transaction underscores the balance teams continue to pursue between immediate roster reinforcements and future draft capital as the NHL season approaches its stretch run. St. Louis gains a veteran defenseman with recent AHL form and a Calder Cup pedigree, while Detroit pays for a known quantity in Justin Faulk plus prospects and picks. If the RotoWire/NHL media note holds, Holl’s move to the Blues’ NHL roster will be the immediate storyline; his mix of 396 NHL games, recent AHL performance and Calder Cup experience makes him a serviceable, experienced option as St. Louis integrates the new pieces.